


Old Times Sake

by Slim_N_Dre



Category: Dr. Dre (Musician), Eminem (Musician)
Genre: Bromance, Epic Bromance, Everyone Is Gay, Friendship, Gay, M/M, Major Character Injury, Male Friendship, Title from an Eminem Song
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-30
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:07:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29073810
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slim_N_Dre/pseuds/Slim_N_Dre
Summary: Based on a dream I had
Relationships: 50 Cent/Eminem, Dr. Dre & Eminem, Dr. Dre/Eminem
Comments: 3
Kudos: 12





	1. Chapter 1

(Dre's POV)

*knock knock knock* 

"Andre?"

Hm? It was a beautifully late morning in LA when Dre was pulled out of sleep by sound of knocking at his bedroom door. 

"Yeah?" 

"You up?" 

"Fuck no. Too early for that shit." He complained while cuddling himself back up into his blankets. 

It was probably 90 some degrees outside but inside it was a crisp 65. Cold as balls, just as Dre liked it. Marshall helped himself into the room, already mostly dressed besides shoes and accessories. He jumped onto the bed and laid out in the spot that was once Nicole's. 

"I'll let you lay there for another few minutes man but we got shit to do." 

Dre continued to lie there with his eyes shut but fully conscious to what was going on around him

"man, how the hell are you so chipper this early? We were in the studio til like 4." 

"Redbull usually does the trick." 

"Where the hell'd you get a redbull from?" 

"Had one left over from yesterday."

"Mm" 

"Ay" Marshall said while flopping himself on top of Dre 

Dre let out a 'oof' as the dead weight that is Marshall Mathers laid upon him 

"what the hell happened to you being Mr. Healthy n shit? I thought you get up early as fuck every morning n wake up n shit." 

"Part of being healthy is getting enough sleep and if I'm in the studio til 4 in the fucking morning then I ain't getting up to work out any time before 11." 

"Well it's almost 10:30 soooo... close enough." 

Dre continued to lie there while now stuck under the white boys weight

"Alright fine I'll let you sleep but if you're not up in 30 minutes I'm gonna drag your ass out of bed."

Dre groaned as he debated taking up his offer but then decided against it. They did have shit that needed to get done so he might as well get up now. 

"I'd get up if you would get off of me." 

Marshall rolled himself off of Dre and stretched while the producer finally sat up for the first time that morning. 

"I'm not doing shit until I have coffee." 

"That's fine. We should probably do brunch or something anyways."

Dre looked over at the clock sitting on his bedside dresser. They had a meeting with Interscope at 2 which wouldnt take any more than 2 or 3 hours but he had to stop by his jeweler to pick up his watch from getting repairs before they closed at 5. If they got showered and dressed now they could make it to a restaurant by about 11:30, be done eating by 1 and have time to stop by his jewelers before the meeting. Then they'd have the rest of their day to do whatever. Marshall left the room to go finish getting ready, leaving Dre to put on a playlist of his beats while he showered and got dressed. He tried to keep an eye on the clock as he put on the same outfit he did every day: a black T-shirt, black jeans, and white Air Force 1s. It's not that it took him long to get ready, it's that he had a bad habit of getting lost in the music and thus losing track of time. He stood in the mirror for a minute and evaluated the man staring back at him. His attitude had changed a bit since he and Nicole decided to get a divorce. Rather than consistantly doubting himself and putting himself down for every little thing that he ate or said, he occasionally got a bit of an ego kick. Today was one of those days. He slipped a thin gold chain with a cross on the end around his neck and doused himself in a trifecta of different high dollar colognes. He was one of the richest men in hip hop but he knew he wasn't going to be impressing nobody if he didn't smell good. Not like he was trying to necessarily get anyone's attention but it still made him feel good to look good, smell good, live good, all that shit. He grabbed a small pack of mints and slipped them in his pocket before heading downstairs. He walked across his two living rooms and opened the door leading to his backyard. The smell of the morning air smacked him in the face as he made his way towards his guest house. It was a bit cooler out than he had expected it to be but he knew it'd be up to 90° in no time. He knocked on the door and waiting for a response to come in but he never got one.  
That's weird. He let himself in and walked into the living room. He made his way towards the hallway leading to the master bedroom and came face to face with his best friend. 

"Fuck! Dre don't do that shit you about gave me a heart attack or some shit." 

He couldn't help but laugh at his friend getting slightly flustered with him. 

"My bad I was just coming to see if you were ready." He chuckled 

"Yeah I'm ready. Gotta put on my shoes. I figured you'd take longer." 

"Nah I made sure of that today." 

Marshall slipped on his shoes made sure he had everything. "So where we going?" 

"Wherever you want."

"Oh yeah? You payin?" 

"Aren't I always? Craving anything?" 

"Not really actually. I know you want coffee and I could use a cup myself." 

"How's Marmalade sound?" 

"That one place in Malibu?" 

"Nah the real Atlantis lookin building in Calabas." 

"Yeah I'm down let's do it." 

"Aight let's hit it.

Marshall chose that they take Dre's new Tesla since it was just the two of them. No need to take his Escalade. They hopped in and talked shit to one another while Dre showed off the new whip a little bit. While they were on an empty road he gunned it to show Marsh just how quick this thing could get from 0-70mph. He had of course modified and personalized it as he did with all of his cars so he knew that it was safe for him to be showing off in. Nicole would have fucking killed him if she had seen him do that. But that was a her problem. 

*bzzzzzt bzzzzzt bzzzzzt* 

Speak of the devil 

"Ay Dre, Nicole's calling you." 

"Uuugh I really don't want to deal with whatever the fuck she wants to start up today." 

"Aight I'll answer then." 

"Marshall." 

"Hello? - - Nah he's driving right now - - I can relay the message though - - aight whatever. Bye" 

Dre looked over at him concerned "what'd she say?" 

"That she'd talk to you later. Man I dunno why the hell she feels the need to call and start shit every day. You already pay for everything what else does she want?" 

"Shit. My happiness." 

"Ain't that the fucking truth. Kim was never like this. I mean we fought a lot n shit but I'm lucky that she never acted like Nicole." 

"Well Kim wasn't raised on money like she was so..." 

"Spoiled bitches. Man I bet it would piss her the fuck off if we got you a hot ass girlfriend." 

"Shiiit. Yeah probably." 

Marshall gave Dre a look 

Dre scoffed "Nah I'm-- I'm not ready for that yet. Really." 

"Ya know, I didn't think I was ready to move on until I did. That's just how real love is. Of course you don't want to move on." 

"Maybe in the new year I will but... just not yet." 

"What if we scope out some chicks while we're at lunch?" 

"You're not gonna get jealous?" 

"Why would I get jealous?" 

"Just asking." 

"Nah why would I get jealous?" 

Dre just shrugged 

"Shit! Ay watch out for the biker!" 

Dre about had to swerve to avoid this guy on a bike that was riding half in the road.

"Fuck." Dre started "these bikers have been bad lately. Like there's a whole ass bike lane and they need to stay in it." 

"Just like how you need to stay in your lane." 

"Oh what ever." 

"Why would I be jealous?" 

"Marshall I was joking" Dre chuckled "drop it." 

They pulled up to the restuarant and were quickly seated at a booth near one of the windows. They went through the menu and discussed what to get for a while. 

"So what do you wanna do after the meeting?" Dre asked 

"I dunno. Based on what you said in the car it sounds like you want to take me back to your place." 

"Very much." 

"I tell you what Dre, you get enough of these mojitos in me and I'll consider it." 

Dre laughed "I thought you were gonna get coffee." 

"I am. But after that I might wanna get drunk and ride you in the back seat." 

Dre was taken back "feeling bold?" 

"Tryna get a reaction out of you." 

"Yeah okay." 

They shot ideas back and forth, neither of them wanted to go to the studio til later but they didn't necessarily want to stay inside either. Dre recommended a beach workout since they had never made it to the gym earlier; going for a run, lunges, things of that sort. It had been a while since they had worked out together, in fact it had been a while since Dre worked out with almost anyone other than his trainer so he was definitely looking forward to it. The waitress came back to check on them a few times before they finished their meal and asked for the check.

"She keeps looking over here." Marshall pointed out 

"Well yeah, we're celebrities. Everyone is looking at us." 

"Nah I mean she's doing it a lot. She keeps coming over here too." 

"She wants a good tip and she knows we have money." 

"She wants your tip alright." 

Dre laughed "What the hell did you take this morning? You've been talking like this all day." 

"I'm just saying she keeps coming over here and she keeps asking you if you're good." 

"Because she's a waitress, that's her job. Maybe I was right about the jealousy thing."

"I'm not jealous. I'm saying you should get her number." 

"Why?" 

"Why not?"

Dre sighed and spoke now with a low and serious tone "Marshall I told you I'm just not ready okay? I know it's been like 9 months but I'm just not ready." 

"I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to push it. I was just fucking around." 

The boys got quiet as the waitress came back with their check. He handed Marshall his card and asked him to handle it for him while he excused himself to the restroom. When he came back he found Marshall sitting there on his phone. 

"You pay?" 

"Yeah I'm waiting on her to bring your card back."

Within no time the waitress came back with Dre's card and their receipt with a pen so that he could sign and leave a tip. He went to write his total down and noticed writing on the bottom of the receipt. 

"What did you say to her?" 

"What do you mean?" Marsh looked up from his phone, confused. 

Dre gave him a look and handed him the receipt. 

"Ha! I fucking told you!" Marshall died of laughter as he noticed her phone number written on the bottom 

"You told her to do that." 

"I swear I didn't." He continued to laugh

Dre left a tip, slipped the receipt in his pocket, and they headed to the jewelers.


	2. Ch. 2

It only took about 20 minutes to get to the jewelers, they still had plenty of time to make it to their meeting without being late and pissing Jimmy off. Marshall decided to go in with him rather than just sit in the car because why not. They walked in and were immediately greeted by a jeweler that definitively recognized who they were and was hoping for a sale. Dre explained that he was just there to pick up his watch, gave an order number, and started to look around while they waited. The jeweler gave the number to a different worker to go find in the back and watched as they looked around. They weren't even in there for 5 minutes before the guy started showing them these bulky chains and rings with all sorts of diamonds and shit all over them. He showed them chain accessories and extra jewels and stuff that they really weren't interested in. Dre chuckled to himself, it was funny that some people still thought that rappers were like that. Not that some aren't, a lot of new age rappers sure did like to stunt their ice but Dre and Marshall were far more humble now. And they were never really like that in the first place. They each had a bit of jeweler that they wore but it was definitely nothing compared to the type of shit that someone like Rick Ross would wear. They still continued to look around anyways incase something did catch their eye. Times there was a chain piece that was cool or something that they thought a friend or one of their kids would like. 

"Hey Dre. You should buy me this." 

He walked over to see what I was that Marshall was talking about. A mens ring that had both a ring of gold and silver on it, covered in small white diamonds shimmered under the light of a small case. 

"You actually want that?" 

"Nah I just thought it was cool. I feel obligated to buy something because of that dude." 

"We ain't obligated to get shit. I just need my watch... I'll buy it for you though if you want it." 

"Naaah. I don't need it."

"If you say so." Dre continued looking at it "Maybe I'll keep it in mind for your birthday though since I never know what the fuck to get you." 

"No that's not fair because I don't know what to get you either." 

"I'm not a materialistic guy, you know that. If you flew down and surprised me with like a crab boil or something that would make my whole day." 

Marshall smirked "Noted." 

"Mr. Young" a jeweler emerged from the back room "you watch. It's been adjusted, polished, and checked to insure that it's in perfect condition." 

Dre slipped the man a $50 before taking the bag containing his watch in it. "Appreciate you." 

They made their way back to the car, Dre stopped and put his watch on to insure that everything was right before pulling out of the parking lot. They had about an hour until their meeting and it would take 30 to 40 minutes to get there which was perfect. In Dre's eyes, if you're early then you're on time and if you're on time then you're late. Marshall fiddled with the bluetooth and went through a few songs before finally deciding on a playlist. Everyone in California know that every once in a while you come across a rode on a mountain that has a bit of a drop off on one side. They were normal to the natives but Marshall was not a fan. 

"You okay?" Dre asked having noticed that Marshall looked a bit spooked. 

"Yeah I'm fine." 

"The cliff freaking you out?" 

"Just a little bit. I think it's just because I'm not the one driving." 

"Well I hate to break it to you but this is the only way for us to get three so you'll have to deal with it twice." 

"Twice?" 

"There and back." 

As they drove, a car going the opposite direction got a bit close causing Dre to get over onto the shoulder a bit. Luckily they were on the side closest to the mountain rather than the cliff but it freaked Marshall out regardless. 

"Fucking tourists" Dre mumbled as Marshall gripped onto the middle consol 

Dre glanced down quickly before looking back at the road. "Its all good." He said while gently placing his hand on top of Marshall's. "I know what I'm doing." 

"Yeah but they apparently don't." Marsh muttered 

Dre stroked his thumb across the back of Marsh's hand. He understood his fear. Heights freaked him out too but he was able to overcome it by just paying attention to the road. It was a bit different when you're in the passenger's seat. 

"Dre don't be offended by this but can you please keep both hands on the wheel?" 

He chuckled and slowly removed his hand from on top of his friends and instead placed it on the wheel. 

"Sorry." 

"It's okay." 

As they got to a part of the road that was slightly more narrow, Marshall gripped his hand again almost like he was hoping Dre's was still there. 

"Marsh. Do you wanna just drive instead?" 

"Nah I'm good. We're almost off this thing anyways." 

"If you say so... you wanna hold onto my arm or something?" 

"Maybe." 

Dre continued to keep both hands on the wheel but moved his arm so that it was easier for Marshall to latch on to. He chuckled softly as the tiny white boy held onto him for safety. Whatever it took to make him feel safe. It wasn't the first time Dre had had to do this. He had been holding his hand for protection both physically and metaphorically since the beginning of Marshall's career. By this point he was completely use to taking care of him and keeping an eye on him to insure that he felt safe. Plus it made him feel good. Made him feel kinda manly every time he had to protect him. He liked being his defender. Marshall continued to hold onto him even after they had made it back onto main roads. He didn't mind it. He hadn't had anyone hold onto him in a while and to be honest, he was a bit touch starved.


	3. Ch. 3

They finally made it to the corporate office where they would be meeting just to discuss the latest issues with the industry. There always seemed to be something new that was looking to kill either hip hop or the music industry as they knew it. Marshall only let go to unbuckle his seat belt once they reached the parking lot. As they got out and headed to the door Dre slipped his hand into his. 

Marshall looked down confused "uhhh" 

"Sorry force of habit." 

After 25 years of marriage it was just muscle memory for him to grab the hand of whoever he got out of tha car with. He had accidentally done it to his kids a few times and even had done it with a few of his artists. This usually led to them joking that they would do 'whatever it takes' to get a Dre beat or a raise. Dre laughed to himself. Assholes. It was no surprise to them that Jimmy Iovine and a few other executives had already beat them to the building. They sat in the conference room and helped themselves to water or coffee that was available and waited for everyone else to get there. 

"Dre." Jimmy's thick Boston accent took over the room "lemme tell ya. You're going to be in HUGE trouble with these guys if you even say ANYTHING about there being a chance of you not releasing your album. There's a lot of shit going on and lemme tell ya, they dont wanna hear it right now." The short italian continued on with a smile "lie if you have to. But tell em what they wanna hear." 

"What's this meeting about anyways?" 

Jimmy leaned in closer to them "Having a bit of money issues." 

"Aftermath!?" Marshall asked, shocked 

"Shhh. No. Not Aftermath per se but interscope. Had a few law suits come in and guys over Interscope arent happy about it. Billie Eilish isnt dropping her album for a few months. You just released one." He said while pointing to Marshall "so now they think we can only save ourselves if one of our top contenders..." he said while now pointing to Dre "... dropped his album." 

He hated to hear this. Marshall looked over at him sympathetically. Marsh knew just as well as he did that he HATED being told when to drop an album. It was already hard enough for him to build the confidence to decide to make one anyways. Being forced to drop it didn't help. He sat there anyways and played along, whatever it took to get through this meeting. His anxiety was starting to kick his ass though. He started to bounce his leg a bit while listening to them talk about his album. Marshall was quick to place his hand on Dre's knee in an attempt to contain it. 

"It's alright." Marshall whispered while giving him a reassuring look 

He slipped his hand under the table and placed it on top of Marshall's for the rest of the meeting. Look who's comforting who now. He didn't know why it freaked him out to much to have to release an album. There was a major chance that all this anxiety came from his fear of failing. He didn't want to release his music into the world and have people hate it. He had seen this happen to Marshall with his past 2 or 3 albums and it tore him to shreds. Marshall's confidence was almost completely stripped because of this and he didn't want for the same thing to happen to him. His own confidence was already hanging by a thread. This talk went on for about an hour before they decided to take a brief recess and change topics of discussion. Dre made his way over to a nearby restroom with Marshall trailing not far behind. He needed to fix his breathing before they continued with the meeting. The restrooms in this building were made for only one person at a time but Marshall followed him in anyways. He leaned against the sink and started to inhale.

1\. 2. 3. 4. 5.  
And exhale   
1\. 2. 3. 4. 5.

"Anxiety's a bitch" Marshall stated 

"Got that right." 

"You gonna be alright?" 

"Yeah I'll be okay. You know how I get." 

"Yes I do. That's the whole reason Detox was never released." 

"Please don't." 

"Sorry." 

He ran some water over his face while Marshall gently rubbed his back and handed him a paper towel. 

He looked in the mirror and let out a deep breath. "Alright I'm good. Let's go back in there." 

They sat through the rest of the meeting completely bored out of their minds. He should have just said he wasn't feeling good and left. They weren't even talking about his shit anymore and Marshall never needed to be there in the first place. He just tagged along since he was in town; not that Dre minded of course. After a dreadful hour and a half they finally made it to the end of their meeting, said their goodbyes and headed back to the car. Jimmy walked out with them and suggested they meet later for dinner, they accepted his offer and hopped back into the Tesla. 

"Fucking finally" Marsh exclaimed while scrolling through his phone 

"That's what I'm sayin." 

They started their way back towards Calabasas, they would need to get changed at Dre's place before going for their beach workout. He really didn't have the energy anymore, anxiety had that kind of fucked up affect on him, but he still wanted to do it because it was something for them to do together. Marshall continued to scroll through his phone for a while. 

"Hey Dre." Marsh said while setting his phone down "I know you're worried about putting the album out but... you really shouldn't be." 

Dre glanced over at him and sighed 

"I mean it dawg, I really do. It sounds good. And if other people dont like it then, fuck em." 

Dre felt a slight chill as Marshall placed his hand on his shoulder 

"And man if I have to, I'll come fly down or you can come to Detroit before it releases and we'll just hang out together and drink while we watch how everyone responds. And we'll either end up celebrating or I'll just keep your mind off it."

A small smile crept across Dre's face. Once upon a time ago he had said that same thing to a young blonde haired, blue eyed, rapper that was terrified of dropping his first album. He didn't know if Marshall remembered, or maybe that's exactly where he had gotten the idea. Dre reached up to hold the hand that was placed on his shoulder. A lot of people had come and gone in his life. Friends. Even his own wife. People who were supposed to care and be there for him. It made it hard for him to trust people but, there was never a doubt in his mind that Marshall Mathers would be right there beside him til the day he died. And he'd be right there for him too. How the hell did he get so lucky to have a friend like that?


	4. Ch. 4

They came back up to that long stretch of road that he knew Marshall had to have been dreading. 

"You want me to keep holding your hand or you want me to hold on to the wheel?" 

"Uhhh. Both?" 

Dre chuckled "It's one or the other." 

He started to pull onto the road and found himself behind a semi that was being extra precautious and going well below the speed limit. After about a minute of driving behind this guy Marshall started to ease up a bit. 

"Hand." 

"What?" Dre asked confused "Oh! Okay." 

Dre let one hand off the wheel and slipped it into Marshall's. This semi was making their journey take extra long but he didn't mind it. He really honestly enjoyed having Marshall play with his hand and inspect every little detail. He hoped this ride took as long as it possibly could. While he drove, Marsh would run a finger across his knuckles or trace the veins in the back of his hand. He was older now and the visible veins really bugged the hell out of him but he almost didn't mine them now. At least not after having Marshall look them over, not as a flaw, but just a little detail that made him... him. People honked as they got behind him. He knew they had to be honking at the semi rather than him, it's not like there was anything he could do to make it speed up. Even if there was something he could do, he didn't want to. He was so lost in enjoying the hand holding that he hadn't even noticed that the semi had in fact sped up and now people were passing him. This jackass in a lifted truck with a Texas license plate was wanting for Dre to test his insurance. Dre sped up so that he was going the speed limit but the dude wouldn't get off his ass. 

"Is this dude fucking crazy? Does he not see the drop off or what?" 

Marshall had a point. Earlier they had been riding the side closest to the mountain but now that they were headed in the opposite direction they were right on the side of the cliff. 

"Don't worry. I got it."

Dre turned on his flashers then proceeded to turn on his left blinker in an attempt to tell the dude to just go around him. He wasn't sure if he had taken the hint or not because the dude was still riding his ass. 

*honk honk* 

"Are you fucking kidding me?" 

After honking continuously for a few seconds the guy finally sped up and went around them. They laughed as that watched the guy go around them only to find that the road was just as curvy, if not more so, than it was behind them. Meaning the dude had no choice but to go the speed limit. 

"Fucking idiot." Marshall scoffed 

"I know. I think the truck is overcompensating for the intelligence." 

"Forreal." Marshall laughed in response 

Dre insured that his flashers were off now that he didn't need them to signal some idiot to go around him. 

"FUCK! DRE!" 

"What?" 

He looked up to see that the truck, having realized just how curvy the road is, was now slamming on his breaks. 

"SHIT!"

Dre slammed on the breaks, knowing that I wasn't going to do a damn thing. Even if his car did stop immediately it wouldn't be enough time to keep from hitting this guy. Within seconds the front of the Tesla rammed into the back of the truck. Their seatbelts locked as the crash forced them both forward. He could hear the plastic crunch as the two vehicles collided. He looked up into his rearview mirror. 

Oh fuck. 

His head was forced forward as a car, having not noticed the accident, slammed into the back of them with such force that it pushed Dre's car out from under the truck and towards the side. 

"ANDRE! STOP!" 

He gripped onto the steering wheel and slammed on the breaks. He pressed as hard as he fucking could. It all happened so fast. The time between the truck slamming on its breaks and the car slamming into them was maybe 5 seconds total. The whole thing was a fucking blur that Dre hadn't even gotten a chance to wrap his head around while watching as the world seemed to roll around them. Except that was the problem. The world wasn't rolling. 

They were. 

His head was thrown to the point where he couldn't even tell what it was his head was hitting. His heart sank as he heard Marshall grunting beside him. They both yelled and grunted as the car seemed to close in around them. At some point Dre swore he could have felt one of his tires coming off probably after hitting a rock or something. It was completely deafening. A unforgettable symphony of plastic crunching, glass shattering, rocks tumbling, and their own terrified yelling. He watched as the world seemed to fall apart around him. He had been in accidents before but not like this. No. Never like this. He had heard people say that time seemed to go in slow motion at times like this but he had never experienced it until now. For just a quick second he was able to look over and see Marshall gritting his teeth while grabbing onto the handle above the window. It had to have only been a millisecond but he swore he had been looking at him for at least a minute. He had to convince himself to let go of the wheel and take his foot of the break. They were going to be fine. This he knew. He felt it. There was nothing he could do to stop them from rolling any further. He had no choice but to just let it happen even though that was the last think he wanted to do. He simply held his breath. Grabbed Marshall's hand. Closed his eyes. And prayed for it to be over. 

And just like that. It was. 

Probably as quickly as it happened. It was over. 

Maybe 30 seconds total. 

He groaned as he attempted to open his eyes. His adrenaline had to have been skyrocketing because he didn't feel a single thing. That was the only thing in which allowed him to sit up instead of stay hunched over in pain.

What the hell?

He looked around him and noticed that he was surrounded by red rock and dirt. He blinked a few times and looked over to his right while still attempting to lift himself up from where he was laying. He saw the car crunched up and torn to shit a bit of the way further down the hill. Parts from the Tesla were scattered around the hillside. He looked up towards the top of the cliff. Hm. He was right about that tire coming off. He looked back down towards the wreckage. He had to have been knocked out cold after being thrown out from the car. He didn't even remember being thrown out. He heard people screaming and crying from the top of the cliff but didn't hear any sirens yet menacing he couldn't have been out for that long. He wasn't really sure what to do. It's not like he'd be able to climb back up so I guess it was just best to wait for help? He continued to scan the wreckage. Tire shreds. A piece of his door. The car was smoking a bit, he could see this all the way from where he was sitting. 

Oh shit. 

Panic suddenly took over him as he scanned the wreckage again, this time far more carefully. His eyes darted as he scanned the hill. 

Where the hell was Marshall? 

Before he could even register the pain he was up now and walking back down towards the wreck. He stopped and looked back up. There was no chance of him being up there. He had been in the car when they fell. He had to be by the wreck. He would have been able to spot him if he had been further up the cliff. He made his way down to the bottom of the cliff as fast as he could with the condition he was in. God that adrenaline sure was a hell of a drug because he really didn't feel a thing as he struggled to run towards the car, doing his best not to trip on rocks and plants. He scanned the areas around him as he made his descent.

He was by the wreck. He had to be. 

Before even making it to the bottom he was able to spot Marshall laid out a few feet from the car. He had been thrown out too. It didn't surprise him. They had to have rolled a few couple of times and with the windows compeltely busted, it had to have been easy for them to get thrown. He started to run towards his friend but instead was stopped dead in his tracks.   
Fear.   
He had made it out alive... But... what if Marshall hadn't? His chest tightened and he felt himself getting weak. He was supposed to protect him. But now because of him. Because he looked down to turn his signal off. Here they were. And maybe. Here Marshall wasnt. He took a deep breath and convinced himself to take another step. If it was true. If it was bad. Then he wanted to be the one to find him. And if he was okay then maybe he could help him.   
He did his best to swallow his fear and keep back his tears as he walked up to the side of his best friend. He slowly sat down beside him and scanned his face. 

Sigh. 

Dre damn near fucking cried as he watched Marshall slowly start to furl his brow.

Thank fucking god.

"Marshall." Dre gently pushed on him in an attempt to wake him up. 

Marshall winced in pain. Dre carefully put a hand underneath him and sat him up so that he was now laying against Dre's chest. 

"You're okay. I got you." Dre choked between tears "it's okay." 

Marshall slowly rubbed his eyes. He laid there still cuddled in Dre's arms and looked over towards the wreck. 

"Fuck that fucking truck." He muttered softly 

Dre laughed. He couldn't fucking help it. He laughed so hard he thought he was going to bust a lung. He laughed so hard he cried while he held that white boy close to him and kissed the top of his head. He didn't give a fuck about anything. Nothing mattered anymore. The only thing that mattered was right here. Right now. He kissed the top of his head again and cuddled him close. 

They sat there and quietly cried into each others arms. Marshall let his head rest against Dre's chest until he finally found the energy to sit up on his own. Sirens were starting to blare now in the distance. Soon a helicopter or something would come down to save them and life flight them to the hospital. 

"That damage is fucking terrible." Marshall stated 

"I literally could care less." 

"No I know. I'm just. I dunno. I just. Can't believe it. There's no way that took more than a few minutes." 

"That's how accidents are. Within seconds everything changes." 

Dre held him close again and watched while those sweet baby blue eyes continued to stare at the wreckage. 

"It's okay Marshall. It's fine now." 

"I know." Marsh sighed "I just..." 

"Hm?" 

"I'm just... trying to figure out why there's so much blood on your car." 

"We were just thrown out from it." 

"No I know, but..." 

Dre pulled Marshall's head back down to his chest and glanced over at the wreck. He was right. There was a lot of blood. 

"We..." Marshall started "we didn't... hit someone... when we fell... right? There wasn't a biker or someone on the road?" 

"Marshall don't even start that." 

"Andre I'm not kidding. There's no way. There's too much blood." 

They both sat there now trembling while staring at the car which sat just a bit further up the hill than them. 

"It was an accident..." Dre whispered 

"No I know. Andre I know." 

"I didn't see anyone." 

"I didn't either."

"But what if there was? It was an accident." 

"I know. I know. Okay? I know. It's... it's not like you'd be charged with murder or something." 

"Vehicular manslaughter." 

"Andre stop. That's only if you were driving drunk... right?" 

"I dunno..." 

Marshall slowly stood up. Dre looked up at him. 

"Marshall? What are you doing?"

Marshall swallowed hard before answering "I'm gonna check." 

"Wait." 

"I have to. Just... let me..." 

Dre watched as Marshall slowly made his way up the hill towards the car. He was shaking. He could see it all the way from here. Fuck. Marshall shouldn't be having to check that. If they did hit someone. It was his fault. Not Marshall's. He stood up and started to walk up towards the wreck. As he walked he watched carefully as Marshall made his way up to the car and looked a bit closer. 

Dre stopped himself as he watched Marshall sit back onto the ground, almost fucking fainting. 

Oh no. 

He didn't want to go look but he had to. He had to know what happened. All he could hear was his heart pounding in his ears while we walked up to the car half expecting to see a cyclist stuck under his tire or something. But he didn't see anything. 

"Marshall?" He looked down at him. Marshall looked completely terrified. "Hey?" Dre's voice cracked "what happened?" 

Marshall sat there in silence before finally standing up.   
Dre was so confused and he wanted so desperately to understand why it was that his friend was now looking at him like this. He knew it was an accident. What the hell was wrong!? He felt tears stream down his face. 

"Marshall please just fucking tell me!"

"T-turn arou-round" Marshall managed to choke out 

Confused, Dre did as he said but he still didn't see anything. He looked on top of his car. Tried to look under the tires. 

Then he saw it. 

What it was that horrified his best friend. 

It shook him to his core. 

Hw couldn't help it when he immediately leaned over and threw up. He didn't understand.   
He stepped closer to the passenger side of the car, held onto the door where the window once was, and looked in. 

And there it was. The cause of all the blood. 

His tongue felt like it was swelling in his mouth. He went completely numb. His legs wanted to fail him but they couldn't. They stayed locked in place. 

Warm tears stained his cheeks as he looked into the car. 

There they were. 

Still in their seat belts. 

Marshall's head was leaned to the right leaving a part of his neck exposed. His beard was now wet and crusted into a deep dark auburn color. A huge shard of the windshield, stained in red, stuck out from his neck like some sort of accessory. Marshall had blood coming from his ears and nose. They both did. 

He walked over to the drivers side and looked in. It was like some sort of sick and twisted mirror. There he saw himself. Head leaned over forward and blood draining from a piece of his forehead that had been completely smashed in. Small bits of brain matter were scattered on his shirt and face. He recognized it instantly. He had never seen it before but he knew what it was. There was only one thing it could be. 

Both of their faces were beaten and bruised. The expressions on their faces completely terrified. Thankfully their eyes were closed. Dre didn't even want to know what it would have looked like of their eyes had been still open and glazed over. 

Dre scanned the bodies over once more. There was no way. He looked up and saw Marshall standing on the other side of the car with tears pouring down his face as he attempted to touch the shard that was protruding out of his own neck. 

"Marshall." 

Marshall jumped and quickly looked up

"Marshall. Don't." 

"....look..." 

Huh? Dre looked down towards where Marshall was staring and saw that there on the center console, their fingers were intertwined and their hands clamped together as if they had hoped in midst all the terror that each other would save them. 

"I'm so sorry..." it was the only thing Dre could think to say

But what exactly was it that he was sorry for? His loss? Causing his death? The fact that they'd never get to see their families again?  
It was his fault. His best friend had life pulled from his grip and it was his fault. They would both still be alive if he had just been more careful. 

"I don't know what you're sorry for... it was the dude in the truck that started the whole thing. And the person behind us is what forced us off the cliff. There's nothing you could have done." 

Dre continued to stand there trembling while staring at the shells in which once imprisoned them. Their bodies were so cold, so limp, yet so still. It was haunting. The only warm part about them now was the crimson rivers that ran from their wounds. 

Yet he could still feel it. He could still feel the warmth come over him as he felt Marshall's arms wrap around him. As a helicopter now hovered over them, he was pulled out of his trance and back to where they were. He laid his head on top of Marshall's and held him close while he caressed his face. Dre let his hand wander from his beard down to the spot of his neck where a shard of glass technically should have been. 

"Can you feel it?... does it hurt?..." 

"No."

"Can you?" 

"No." 

They stood there in silence, unsure of what to do now. Eventually men were let down from the helicopter to check the wreck.   
One of them spoke back into their radio  
"You're never going to believe who's in this car." 

The gentleman walked the area, taking pictures with a professional camera for evidence. One man attempted to find a pulse, just to be sure, but never did find one. Dre watched in silence as two of the men snuck pictures with their phones of them inside the car. 

"I could bet you money they're going to sell that to TMZ." 

"I give it 30 minutes." 

"I'm pretty sure that's what happened to Kobe." 

"I know." 

Another man who identified himself as a coroner was let down to inspect the bodies and certify their time of death. It was the craziest fucking thing getting to watch the aftermath of their deaths. The men didn't bother throwing white sheets over them until they were about to pull their bodies from the car. Dre understood now just what it was exactly that those white sheets were for. It wasn't just something they did with the dead. It's something they did to hide a dead body from the public. The jaws of life were brought down to release them from the metal deathtrap. The men snapped off the top of the car allowing them an easier way to pull them out.   
Their bodies looked like mannequins. Pure dead weight.   
They were laid out on those boards that they had seen emergency services use in TV shows and movies. They strapped them down and carried their bodies into the helicopter, never to see the outside world again.


	5. Ch. 5

For hours they sat there in silence and watched what happens when a car falls off a cliff. The bodies were taken away. The scraps of car were cleaned and taken to be thrown away in a dump somewhere. The car was broken down into smaller parts, making it easier for transport. As what was left of the wreck was gone and the crew left little by little, they found themselves feeling more and more helpless. The weight of what had just happened finally started to sink in. 

They both broke down. Sobbing. Neither of them knew why. Was it sadness? Fear? As the tears streaming down their faces and landed on the dusty floor below them, it was the most alive they had felt since they found their bodies. Dre wiped his face and continued to stare up at the top of the cliff. If only he hadn't gone that way. 

"Is that it?..." 

"What?" Dre was pulled out of his thoughts 

Marshall wiped his eyes and sat there confused "I dunno. I just-" he said between sniffles "is that it? Isn't there supposed to be a light or some shit? I thought that maybe we were only still here until after our bodies were gone and shit." 

Marshall had a good point. What now? Was this really it? Do they just stay down here for the rest of forever? Is that where ghosts come from? 

Marshall stood up and started to walk off towards the cliff 

"What are you doing?" 

"I'm not going to spend eternity in this fucking hole." He said while staring up 

"Are you serious? You think we could climb that!?" 

"Why couldn't we?" 

"What do you mean?? We're-" 

"Dead." 

.... 

"We don't know if we can or can't climb it. We might as well try." 

Dre continued to stand there in silence 

"It's not like we don't have time to kill."

He sighed and took place next to Marshall as they started to walk up the hill before them. It was easy at first, barely steep. He couldn't help but wonder how the hell Marshall expected them to climb up the top at nearly a 90° angle? He wanted to talk but he didn't know what to say. There were a million things he wanted to say but he didn't want to make Marshall or himself upset. He had already felt enough dread for one day. He could just make small talk but that would be stupid. If Marshall wanted to talk, couldn't he start the conversation? They trekked up the hill for what seemed like a long while before Dre finally looked down. He had gone further than they thought. But how? The climb never seemed to get any harder? Easy as normal walking. They were damn near close to the top now. The hard part was going to be hoisting themselves up over the ledge and yet not even that was difficult. With seamless effort they were able to scale the cliff and make it to the top. Dre didn't dare to look back down. He didn't want to. He didn't want to remember the view of the towering rock that tore his life from him. 

Without another word Marshall began to walk in the same direction that they had initially been headed. Back towards his house. He followed beside him and watched as cars passed them by. Not once did anyone look over at them. They couldn't see them and he knew that but he still attempted to make eye contact as people drove by, just as he had always done in life. It was a force of habit. It was going to be hours before they made it back but he followed Marshall anyways. As they walked he got lost in his thoughts again. He thought about his family. The goodbyes he never got to say. The things he never got to do. The relationships he never got to mend. He could hear sniffling but it wasn't coming from him. He stopped in his tracks and pulled Marshall back towards. 

"Hey." He hugged onto him tightly 

He could feel the tears dampening his shirt. 

"Shhhh" Dre tried to comfort him but how could he? There was nothing he could do to fix this. 

Marshall gripped onto his shirt and continued to cry into his chest as Dre held him there. There were so many things Marshall never got to do either. He hadn't had a decent relationship in years. He hadn't been home with his kids as much as he hoped. So much regret that built up throughout his career. It pained Dre to think that between the two of them, Marshall's life had never been as complete. And now there was nothing he could do to change that. 

"Marshall. We have to keep going." 

"Why?" Marshall asked frustrated 

"I- I don't know. We just do, okay?... okay?" 

Marshall hugged onto him a bit tighter and Dre did the same. He held Marshall's head against his chest for a few seconds before pulling back. Marshall wiped his tears, held onto Dre's arm gently and continued on. He caressed Marshall's hand as they walked, it was the only thing he could focus on for the moment. It was such a small act of comfort but it seemed to be working. And it made him feel better too. His gaze trailed up and he started to realize just how far they had gone. He had no concept of time and wasn't able to tell just how long they had been walking but it didn't feel like much time at all. Just like with the cliff. As he looked around he also began to realize just where it was Marshall was going. They weren't headed back to his house.

They were headed to the studio.


	6. Ch. 6

They passed all the familiar territory except now it felt different. Now that they were walking on a busy sidewalk in downtown LA he realized just how invisible they were. It almost felt nice not to be stared at for once. He had almost forgotten what it felt like to be a normal person who can just go places without paparazzi and people taking pictures of them. He wasn't able to enjoy it for long though before a chilling feeling took over. This was more than just being normal. It was almost scary in a way for no one to notice your presence. To walk right past you without over acknowledging that you're there. Marshall had to have felt this too because his grip tightened just a bit. They pushed through the crowd, forgetting that they probably didn't need to dodge people walking towards them, and eventually made it to the front steps of one of their office buildings. 

This was the studio that the crew had been frequenting lately. Most of the Pandemic had been spent in his home studio but they had branched out just a few weeks ago to get a change of scenery. A new environment always led to new ideas. New ideas that he would never be able to release himself. Maybe that was for the better. Maybe they'd just release all of the music they had ever made together, he good and the bad. Maybe then people would appreciate it more now that they're gone. As they made their way through the lobby and up to the studio floor it felt just like any other day. It felt like they had finished their meeting and were now just headed to work to join their friends and make a new hit.  
He was surprised to hear an actual beat going in the studio. It was one that he had been working on, it didn't sound like anyone was tweaking anything. They each took a deep breath before heading through the studio doors. He didn't know what to expect but the sight broke his heart. 

His crew was sat out together on the floor or on the couches looking through old magazines, pictures, looking at old videos. The beat was playing softly in the background and not a single person dared to change a thing. Marshall started to chuckle a bit as tears rolled down his face. A smile crept across Dre's face as he realized just what it is Marshall was laughing about. Their crew had been broken up for so long. So many people among the aftermath staff and shady records had been fighting throughout the years and yet here they sat. D12, Game, 50, G-Unit, Cube, Snoop, Ren, Yella, Busta, X, Tha Dogg Pound. All their old friends who probably hadn't even bothered to talk to eachother in YEARS... all together in one room laughing and smiling and crying together like any beef or distance never existed. It was a family. The family that the two of them had tried so hard to build throughout the years. Even other executives had come with Jimmy to mourn along with the others. Artists and executives alike together acting like old friends. There were no bosses. No OGs vs new cats. None of that nonsense.   
Pure family.   
They talked shit to one another and shared stories between them. Memories of the friends that they had lost including Proof, Nate, and now them. They slowly made their way further into the room and joined their friends on the floor. He hadn't seen any of these magazines in years, pictures and articles that he had forgotten about. He picked up a picture that made him smile. It was a picture from the early 2000s, back when they use to take vacations together so that they could spend time with their kids and still be able to work. They were somewhere in hawaii standing on the balcony of one of their hotel rooms. Marshall stood on the right with his bleach blonde hair, Dre's son Truice was laughing as Marshall held him upside down. Meanwhile a silly Hailie was using her fingers to give Dre bunny ears as he held her. Just like her daddy. The four of them were smiling. God the kids had to have been only 5 and 6 when this picture was taken.   
He continued to search through a collection of pictures of all their friends together on tour and in the studio and just doing all sorts of shit together. It had been a while since they had taken a trip down memory lane like this. They sat there for what must have been hours and enjoyed themselves as their friends continued to joke with eachother and reminisce about better days.

The D.O.C. stood up, went to the bar, and started pouring shots. He handed them out to each person in the room. Dre sat patiently and waited to be handed his before he remembered that they didn't know they were there. Marshall looked around as D.O.C. distributed the liquor. Once each person had one in hand he poured himself one and stood up in the center of the circle, careful not to step on any pictures. 

With his raspy voice he started "Here's to the men who have to thank for us being everything we are. Whether you're an artist or an exec it doesn't matter. They were each responsible for all of our success in one way shape or form. If they weren't, then we wouldn't all be here now. Together. I personally owe Dre my life for everything he has done for me. All the way back to NWA. And Marshall was such a fucking friend to everyone he came across in the industry. The world... will never be the same. We... as people, as a company, as artists, as friends, as a family... will never be the same. So until the day comes when we are all back together, here's to us. Here's to our family. And the beautiful art that we have given throughout the years. No one is allowed to chase this shot with shit. Let it burt. Let it pay homage to the pain that every single one of us feels right now. Even though it could never compare..." he rose his shot in the air and others did the same "...Here's to them. Andre. Marshall. Wherever you. We love you. Don't you guys ever forget that. There will never be a more dynamic duo in hip hop or in the entire music industry. A legacy has been left. To them!" 

"To them!" 

As they took their shots, Dre looked around and let the tears fall. He had cried so many times today but this... this was different. A different kind of pain from all the others he had felt today. The weight really weighed in on him. He damn near couldn't move. The group sat together in silence and cried for a minute or two before starting back up with the stories. He continued to look around the room. As he tried to place his hand on Marshall's back he realized that his friend was no longer next to him. He scanned the room again but didn't see him anywhere. He panicked. Had he gotten up and left? He hadn't just... disappeared right? That wouldn't happen. Not without him? Right? He got up and rushed towards the door. He was stopped only by the sight of Marshall sitting on the floor a bit of the ways down the hall with his head in his knees. Dre carefully made his way towards his friend who now looked so small and fragile. He sat in front of him quietly and stared at him until he noticed he was there. A pain shot through Dre's chest as he saw Marshall's swollen bloodshot eyes peer up at him. 

"I'm so sorry..." Dre whispered 

"Why are you sorry?" Marshall asked with his voice muffled 

"I did this..." 

"No. No you didn't." 

"Yes. I--" 

"Andre... there's nothing-- it was a freak accident. There was no way around it." 

... 

...

"...yes there was..." 

"No Dre." 

"Marshall. You don't understand." Dre said with tears now forming "there was another way home." 

"Okay so what? There are multiple ways to get anywhere. You just didn't think to go a different way." 

"But that's the thing. I did." 

"What?" Marshall asked now confused

"I... it was stupid. That was just the quicker way back and I knew you were going to be scared but I figured you could deal with it or just hold onto me--" 

"You have to be fucking kidding me." 

"Marshall..." 

Marshall sat up straight "You knew that way was dangerous--" 

"It wasn't dangerous." 

"You knew that I didn't like that way and that I thought that shit was unsafe but you did it anyways. And for what? So I'd hold onto you!? Because you fucking wanted me to depend on you for some reason!?" 

"Marshall." Dre's voice cracked 

"No Andre. Don't try to make me feel bad for you. All this shit could have been avoided if YOU had gone the other route but YOU just couldn't be fucking inconvenienced by taking an extra fucking what? 5? 10? Minutes to get back. And now. Now. We are stuck here for fucking eternity all because YOU wouldn't just go the other fucking way home." 

... 

... 

"Look Andre." Marshall's tone was stern "I know you didn't do it on purpose. There's no way you could have known what was going to happen but the fact that you knew that that road freaked me the fuck out and you went that way just to fuck with me is fucked up." 

"... I was just..." 

"What? You were just what?" 

"I just... I'm sorry." 

"Sorry doesn't undo this shit Andre. Sorry doesn't mean shit!" 

Dre watched as Marshall started to walk back towards the elevator and began to follow him 

"Where are you going?" Dre asked worried

"Stop." Marshall turned around suddenly "Don't follow me." 

"Wait. But it's just us now. And what if you go somewhere then I can't find you? It's not like I can just call you or something. If we get split up then we might not ever find eachother again." 

Marshall sighed and stepped into the elevator with a pained look on his face "...oh well." 

And just like that the doors shut and Dre was left alone in the building. Of course others were there. He could go back into the room where they were before with all their friends. But he was alone. Truly alone. He clenched his fists as tears fell down his cheeks. He never meant to hurt him. He never meant for any of this to happen. It was innocent.   
He walked back over to the room but rather than going in, he sat outside it with his back against the wall. He listened to the music. His friends. Their laughs. Their cries. 

He buried his head in his knees as he began to get more and more pissed off at himself. He fucked up. And there was nothing he could do to fix it. The ultimate punishment. 

'Marshall I'm sorry. I'm so fucking sorry.'

He suddenly stopped. Something was different. He could feel it

He opened his eyes and all he saw was white. 

'Oh no. Nononononono no.' 

Panic. 

Within moments his heart began to race and he began to panic. Memories of the past few hours filled his mind as he stared confused into this void of white. He started to breathe hard and he felt his chest tightening. It felt like their was a literal heavy weight sprawled out on top of him.

"Dre? You good?" 

'What?' He lifted his head up, still in a panic and started to look around confused. The white no longer crowded his eyes as he realized what it was: his sheets. 

"Am I too heavy?" Marshall asked, still partially laying on top of him. 

He didn't answer. He was so confused. Tears continued to form in the corner of his eyes as he got a grip on what had just happened. 

"Hey." Marshall got off from on top of him and laid out beside him "Andre. Hey it's alright. What's wrong?" He asked concerned. 

Dre rolled over onto his back and looked over at the clock on his bedside table. 10:45a.m. 'you gotta be fucking kidding me.'

"Dude that had to have been some hell of a nightmare you had because you were like making little noises n breathing heavy n shit." Marshall said while sitting up. He placed a hand on Dre's chest and gently caressed him in an attempt to comfort him. "You alright though?" 

Dre sighed in relief and placed a hand on top of Marshall's "yeah I'm fine." He said while staring up at the ceiling 

"You sure? You wanna talk about it?" 

"Maybe later. Right now I just wanna get the fuck up though." 

"Right behind you." 

END


End file.
